Evaporator.



M. J. KERMER.

EVAPORATOR.

APPLICATION FILED mac. 6, 1913.

' Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET bury/.1 7

M. J. KERMER.

EVAPOR'ATOR.

APPLICATIQN man 05c. 6. 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Aug. 17

simple and eflicient in I SA IT. PA i are.

MARTIN J. KERMER, OF CHICAGO, IIILINOIS.

nvAroRAToR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 11915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN J. KERMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Evaporators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in evaporators.

One of its objects is to provide an-evaporator of high capacity, constructed for the evaporation of a large volume of water per square foot of heating surface.

Another object of my invention is to provide an evaporator adapted for the eflicient handling of liquors which tend to foam.

A further object of my invention is to provide an evaporatorgstructure which is c nstruction and operation, inexpensive in manufacture, readily assembled, and easily repaired.

Other and further objects of my inven tion will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated a single embodiment of my invention for full" disclosure thereof. 1

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal Vertical sectional view of an evaporator effeet, or unit, constructed in accordance with my lnvention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a conventionalized illustration of a multiple efiect system embodying my invention.

In my evaporator I arrange longitudinal liquor tubes, preferably nearly horizontal, to receive the liquor to be vaporized, and these tubes I jacket. for the reception between the tube" and its jacket, of the heating vapor or ste m, so that the vaporization of the liquor in y take place within the tube.

The tube j acketing structure I arrange in a vacuum chamber .so that the outer jacket walls are exposed on allsides to said chamher and to a liquor space at the bottom of said chamber, throughout substantially the length of the jacket. The aforesaid liquor tubes I arrange to deliver their vapor and the non-vaporized liquor to the" exterior jacket surface within said vacuum chamber so that the non-vaporized liquor may envelop the bottom of the jacket, and expose a relatively large surface to the vacuum-chamber to enhance the effective vaporization by its contact with the heated jacket walls in the presence of a reduced pressure in the chamber, as Well as to subject the Vapor to the superheating action of the steam jacket.

In the particular embodiment of my invention herein shown for the purpose of full disclosure I provide in the evaporator unit aplurality of tube jackets, arranged side-by side in the vacuum chamber, each to conduct the steam around a suitable group of the tubes provided in that unit, and I arrange more eflective heating of the next effect.

In its broader aspect, my invention is' not restricted in respect to the number of liquor tubes contained within each steam conducting jacket, nor to the number of such jackets provided in a single evaporator-unit or efl'ect, but I preferably use as many deep, narrow jackets in each effect as is consistent with economically securing the desired large area of liquor-tube surface, the precise design, of course,being made to meet conditions, of intended use.

In the particular construction shown, each evaporator unit comprises a shell 10, preferably rectangular in longitudinal cross sections and ovate in transyerse sections, as shown, such shell having 'semi-circular-top 11 anda shallower bottom arch 12 connected by the vertical side walls 13, preferably transversely braced by struts 14c, and with the ends closed by the front and rear walls 15 and 16. The vacuum chamber 17 thus This distributes the non-vaporized provided has a vapor outlet 18 at its top, and a liquor outlet 19 at its bottom.

20 indicates in general a drum built on the exterior of the front wall 15, extending transversely across the face of the effect for substantially its full extent and divided vertically by a tube sheet, 21 to provide on opposite sides of said sheet a header compart- -ment 22 closed by the end removable plate 23, and a steam inlet compartment 24, the inner end of which is defined by the front plate 15 of the vacuum chamber. The several jackets 25, of which 1 preferably provide three or more, all open into this steam inlet compartment 24, or intake steamheader through suitable apertures in the end wall 15, the construction as shown being" arch.

The crown sheet 27 of the header 26, rising above the level of the jacket 25, is preferably arched somewhat so that non-condensable gases accumulating in the chamber 28 provided by said crown may be extracted therefrom through a pipe 29 preferably having two valved outlets 30 and 31, one' leading to the outside air and the other leading back to the vacuum chamber 17. Steam is admitted to the front compartment 24 through a steam inlet 32 and the water of condensation is taken out through the condensation outlet 33 at the bottom of the header 28. Any liquid entering with the steam tends to fall at once to the bottom of the inlet compartment 24 and may be drawn therefrom through the valved piping connections 34 leading to the water-outlet connections 33. W

The tubes 35 within the jackets 25, are supported at their forward ends by the tube sheet 21 and at their rear ends open through the rear wall 16 of the chamber as a second tube-sheet. A liquor drum 37' is built on the rear end of the structure, extending transversely thereof, so as to serve in common all of the tubes of the several jackets, said drum being preferably divided by a transverse wall 38 into an upper intake compartment 39 and a lower outlet compartment 40, when only single-return circulation is desired, as herein contemplated. The liquor inlet pipe 41 entering the compartment 39 preferably extends transversely across the latter and has a delivery slot, or

a series of apertures, 42 for substantially uniform delivery of liquor to all parts of the connnon chamber 39. Tubular passages 45 extend between the jackets 25 through the steam header or chamber 26, giving open communication between the liquor outlet compartment 40 and the lower portion of the vacuum chamber. Thus the path of fluid travel from the liquor inlet 41 is through the compartment 39, the upper tier of tubes 35 to the header chamber 22, back through the lower tier of tubes to the outlet compartment 40 and thence through the tubular connections 45 to the vacuum chamber 17. The lower portion 17 of the chamber will normally contain'liquor when the apparatus is in operation and the tubular passages 45.. are preferably made of substantially the full height of the chamber 39 so that they open both above and below the normal liquor line of the liquor space 17, giving free egress to both the vapor and the liquor.

'For multiple effect installations, it will of course'be understood that live steam is introduced through the steam inlet 32 of the first eifect, the vapor outlet 18 of the first eflect having piping connection with the steam inlet 32 of the second effect and so on throughout the series, the last effect having connection with a suitable condenser 50 and suction pump 51; and the liquor outlets 19 of the first effect having valved conection 52 with the liquor inlet 41 of the second effect and so on throughout the series, the last effect having its liquor outlet connected with the liquor pump 53. Such connections are well understood by those skilled in the art and need no specific illustration.

In each effect, the steam passing through the several jackets from front to rear heats the liquor in the tubes and also, through the walls of the jacket 25 imparts heat to the liquor resident in the lower portion 17 of the vacuum chamber and to the vapor in said vacuum chamber. The liquor entering through the inlet 41 and. passing through the tubes is positively circulated, and is raised in'temperature above the vaporizing point before it leaves the tube space. The

confinement of the liquor in the tubes until it has reached vaporizing heat prevents foaming of the liquor to any detrimental degree, as the liquor cannot foam seriously in the confining tubes and its tendency to foam is lost before it passesthe vaporizing point of heat. The non-vaporized liquor flowing from the tubes passes into the liquor-containing lower portion 17 of the vacuum chamber, enveloping the lower portion of the jackets 25 throughout substantially their length, insuring thatv evaporation will continue until the liquor is drawn off for disposition or for introduction into the next effect. The jacket surfaces exposed above the chamber liquor line act to superheat the vapor in the lQjnd with the insurance of active circulation 'nd the advantageous application of heat, high capacity is attained.

It will be understood that in the first effect where the steam pressure is above atmospheric, relief of the non-condensable gases that tend to accumulate in the dome of the head 27 may be effected by opening the valve connection 30 to the atmosphere, but in subsequent effects, where the steam pressure is below atmospheric pressure, the noncondensable gases should be vented through the connection 31 to the vacuum chamber 17 when the pressure is lower.

\Vhile I have herein described in some detail a single embodiment of my invention,

. it will be understood by those skilled in the art that man J Manges might be made in the details of construction and arrangement wvithout departure from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an evaporator providing a vacuum chamber, a longitudinal jacketextending within said vacuum chamber near but free from the bottom thereof, and longitudinal liquor tubes extending through said jacket arranged to deliver their vaporized and nonvaporized contents to thevacuum chamber, whereby the non-vaporized liquor may partially envelop the steam jacket within the vacuum chamber, and said jacket may superheat the vapor.

2. In an evaporator, the combination of a shell, inclosing a vacuum chamber, a plurality of steam jackets extending longitudinally through said shell from end'to end, steam headers at opposite ends of said jackets, common to the several jackets, one having inlet and the other having outlet connections, liquor tubes extending through said several jackets from end to end, inlet and outlet header chambers into which said tubes open, and connections between the liquor outlet-header and the vacuum chamber for eduction of the entire fluid body passing through the tubes into the vacuum chamber, said jackets being arranged near the bottom of said vacuum chamber, that the lower portion thereof may be invested by the non-vaporized liquor flowing into said vacuum chamber from the tubes, while the upper portion. of the jacket superheats the vapor.

' 3. In an evaporator efi'ect,.a longitudinal jacket having tube plates at its ends, tubes extending substantially horizontally through said jacket, header chambers beyond said tube ends, a shell inclosing a vacuum chamber enveloping said jacket, said shell having its bottom wall relatively close to the shell, valve connections between said outlet header and the vacuum'chamber, headers beyond the steam jacket, tubes passing through said steam jacket communicating,

with said headers, there being an opening for communication between one said header and the vacuum chamber for educt-ion of substantially all of the fluid contents of the tubes into the vacuum chamber, whereby the non-vaporized liquor flowing from said tubes may surround the lower part of the jackets.

5 In an evaporator effect, a shell inclosing a vacuum chamber, having a vapor outlet in its top and a liquor outlet in its bottom, a jacket extending longitudinally through said vacuum chamber near but above the bottom thereof, tubes extending longitudinally through said jacket, and a header beyond said shell opening to said tubes for receiving the fluid contents thereof, said header opening to the vacuum chamber for delivery of the entire fluid contents from the tubesinto'the vacuum chamber.

6. In an evaporator effect, the combina tion of ashell providing a vacuum chamber, having a vapor outlet in its top and a liquor outlet in its bottom, a drum near the bottom of one end wall of said shell, said drum divided vertically into two compartments, a steam inlet to the inner compartment of the two, a drum beyond the other end of said shell, said drum divided horizontally into two compartments, tubes extending from the last said drum longitudinally through the vertical division of the other said drum, there being a liquor inlet to one said horizontal compartment and a liquor outlet from the other said compartment opening to the vacuum chamber, tubes conmeeting said horizontally separated compart;

tion of a shell providing a vacuum chamber,

a plurality of steam jackets extending longitudinally, side by side, through said shell near, but above the bottom thereof, inlet and outlet steam headers for said jackets, comone said steam header to the vacuum cham- 10 mon to the plurality thereof, said headers her.

having a steam inlet and a water outlet re- In testimony whereof I hereunto set my spectively, liquor tubes extending longituhand in the presence of two witnesses. through the Said. jackets Opening J through the ends of said headers, liquor header compartments beyond said jackets In the presence of'- into which said tubes open, and tubular pas-' GEO. T. MAY, J12, sages from one said liquor header through MARY F. ALLEN. 

